1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to support frames for supporting agricultural ground working equipment, and more specifically, to a farm implement support frame of extended width for working fields of row crops.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Typical cultivating equipment consist of a plurality of plows or blades that are arranged in spaced relation across a transverse toolbar carried on a tractor and towed through a field. The plows or blades engage the soil between the rows of crops digging up weeds and hilling the displaced soil onto the rows of growing plants. With the increased power available with modern tractors, it has become possible to use cultivating equipment of extended width. The obvious problem, however, is that cultivating equipment of extended width must somehow be collapsed or folded to a reduced width for transport over roads to gain access to fields, many of which are situated in remote locations.
It is known in the art to provide forward folding support frames for cultivating equipment of extended width. It is also known to provide vertically folding support frames for cultivating equipment of extended width. It is further known to provide rearward folding support frames for cultivating equipment of extended width.
Nevertheless, there remains a need for improvements in the art of folding support frames for cultivating equipment of extended width.
An improved toolbar implement is described comprising a main support bar for attachment to a tractor, a pair of folding wings supported on dolly wheels and connected to the main support bar, and a plurality of ground working tool assemblies attached to each of the folding wings and the main support bar. The device of the present invention allows for the attachment of a plurality cultivator units or other attachments on a single toolbar. The toolbar has a forward, main support bar that is adapted for attachment to the three-point hitch of a tractor. Folding wings are attached to the main support bar at either end thereof for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane about a corresponding substantially vertical axis. A wing is pivotally attached at each end of the main support bar on a pair of framing elements extending from the main bar. Each wing is movable independent of each other. The vertical pivoting axis is set back from the main support bar to gain clearance from the working tool assemblies, which trail and are attached to the main support bar, such that when the folding wings are pivotally moved, the trailing end of the working tool assemblies mounted on the main bar do not interfere with the working tool assemblies mounted on the folding wings. The pivotal attachment allows the wings to be moved from a transversally extended working position to a substantially rearwardly extended transport position. The extended end of each of the wings is supported on a dolly wheel by a four bar linkage. When configured to its transport position, a transport wheel assembly is provided on each wing.
Each of the wings is further supported for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis to allow the height of the wings to be adjusted by extension and retraction of a hydraulic cylinder associated with the dolly wheels. The movement of the hydraulic cylinders associated with the dolly wheels is coordinated with the movement of the three-point hitch to provide for proper depth setting of the cultivator units across the length of the wings and main support bar.
An improved folding agricultural implement of extended width is provided that is capable of transformation from an extended, earth working position, to a retracted, transport position for travel over typical roadways.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following specification and drawings.